DEITIES FLYING FIRST CLASS

STATUES of three deities, including a 1.8m statue of the Mazu goddess (pic), were flown in on business class from China to Malaysia.

Pictures of the statues on the seats in the business class section together with other passengers on the Xiamen Airlines flight were posted on the Selangor and Federal Territory Hainan Association’s Facebook page.

The statues arrived at the Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday under the China-Malaysia Mazu Cultural Exchange programme, major Chinese dailies reported.

The other two statues are Qian Li Yan (eyes that see thousand miles) and Shun Feng Er (ears that hear from far). They are regarded as the assistants to the Mazu goddess, who is widely believed to protect fishermen and sailors.

Sin Chew Daily reported that the organiser had purchased three business class tickets for the statues which were flown in to Kuala Lumpur International Airport from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport.

The air tickets (RM2,091 per ticket) were posted online and were widely circulated on social media.

A procession was held in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday before the statues were brought to Melaka yesterday. The statues will then be taken to Singapore before being sent back to China.

Previously, Selangor and Federal Territory Hainan Association president Dr C.Y. Tang was quoted as saying that the inaugural South-East Asia tour was organised by the Mazu ancestral temple in Meizhou and marks Mazu’s “revisit” to the Maritime Silk Road. Malaysia is the first destination for the cultural exchange

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/07/04/statues-of-deities-flown-in-on-business-class/#0JK2uj8tud5eTQq3.99